Zodiac Information: All About Aries

Those with birthdays between March 21 and April 20 were born under Aries, the sign of the ram and first sign of the zodiac. The sign opposite Aries in the zodiac is Libra. A fire sign, Aries has a cardinal quality. The ruling planet is Mars; the key phrase is "I am."

Aries begins as the spring is dawning, which means the universe is moving from the dormancy of winter to a more active phase. The best words to describe someone born under the sign of the ram are courageous, active, ambitious and desirable.

Aries' lucky color is red; lucky metal is copper. The lucky gemstone is the diamond and lucky numbers are 1 and 9. The lucky day of the week is Tuesday, while the trees that are said the bring Aries people luck are thorn-bearing trees. Flowers that are good for Arians are geraniums and honeysuckle.

Countries that will provide positive energy for people born under this sign are England, Poland, Germany and France. Positive cities are Florence and Naples, Italy.

Mythologically, Aries is associated with the ram that carried Athama's son Phrixus and daughter Helle to Colchis to escape their stepmother Ino. The sign is also associated with the mythological figure Theseus, who had a role in the myth of the Minotaur. Aries has also been associated with the Greek god Ares and the Roman god Mars.

Signs that are compatible with Aries include Gemini, Leo, Aquarius and Sagittarius. Incompatible signs are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio. Capricorn and Pisces.

The glyph symbol for Aries comes from a cluster of stars that represent the head of the goat. The constellation is made up of four stars.

Aries is the sign that rules the head, and people born under this sign have a tendency to be impulsive and aggressive. They often speak without thinking, and energy generates from them constantly. Although Aries people often become angry very quickly (to the point of being explosive), they are also one of the most forgiving of the signs and do not usually hold grudges. They are prone to lashing out both physically and mentally in the throes of a conflict, but are just as quick to forgive and forget.

Aries people have a tendency to need leading and direction. As long as they can remain positive, Aries folk are born to be warriors, as they are fearless and have seemingly boundless courage. When they allow pessimism to creep in, however, they can become foolish and reckless.

Aries people have a strange dichotomy going on. Because they are so highly competitive and demand so much attention, they can be very annoying (they like to talk a whole lot more than they like to listen) -- but at the same time, they have an impish quality that makes them very likeable. They possess a strong will and adventurous nature, and are outgoing and spontaneous. They are to the point and honest, and what you see is what you get. Aries people are generally not into playing mind games. They can lean toward arrogance and impatience.

People may have a hard time keeping up with Aries friends, as they give every project and idea 110 percent -- and expect others to do it as well. Arians tend to be very independent and champions for the downtrodden. They believe they can fix anything, which makes them want to fight losing battles and undertake lost causes. They can look at any situation, take stock, and make a snap decision. They don't waste time.

On the positive side, Arians are generous with money, effort and time. Once they have decided a person or cause is worth supporting, they will do so tirelessly.

Professionally, Aries people want to be in charge. They have a wealth of originality imagination and mental and physical energy; the field they choose to work in should allow them to use all of these traits. Good lines of work for Arians include journalism, publicity, advertising, publishing, radio, television, the military and law enforcement.

Other parts of the anatomy ruled by Aries are the cerebral hemispheres of the brain, upper jaw, eyes and face (the nose is ruled by Scorpio). Aries folk are susceptible to conditions that cause dryness, heat and inflammation. When they have a simple cold, it may be accompanied by a high fever. Because Aries is a fire sign, a moderate illness that would cause a low-grade fever in those born under air or water signs may lead to a higher fever.

Aries should be cautious about conditions such as brain fever, vertigo, nosebleeds and diseases of the brain and face. Rushes of blood to the head often plague those born under the sign of the ram. For an Aries person to successfully combat illness, he or she must keep a strong will.

The biggest fear Arians have is rejection. This fear can make an Aries person abandon a relationship so he or she can be the one who does the rejecting.

Aries people are active -- day and night. A diet rich in whole grains is essential to keep them running on all cylinders.

Arians of note include Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Hans Christian Anderson, Vincent Van Gogh, Robert Frost, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Marlon Brando, Colin Powell, Elton John, Eddie Murphy and Jackie Chan.